Tips for Success in Social Media Advertising

With numerous targeting opportunities, broad reach, and a generally lower cost compared with traditional media, social media advertising is a tool advertisers can’t ignore. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your social media advertising.

Define your goals. Are you looking for engagement, conversions, actions on a landing page, or something else? Defining your goals helps set the stage for your campaign, including creative and budget.

Take advantage of targeting. I recently came across a promoted Tweet for a limousine company. Clicking through, I discovered that the company was located in California. There’s not a chance I’ll book a limo on the other side of the country. By not paying close attention to targeting, this company is wasting valuable advertising dollars, and quickly. Beyond overlooking location, there are less obvious targeting mistakes. To avoid them, it’s critical that your target audience is well defined.

Remember the medium. It’s no secret that social media is, well, social. When creating ads, advertisers should stay true to the platform. An excessively salesy ad is expected in the Sunday newspaper, but on a social platform, it sticks out like a sore thumb and probably won’t be well received. Your content should flow seamlessly in the social feeds of your audience, not be blatantly disruptive.

Review and refine. Unlike a print ad or TV spot, social media ads can be tweaked at any time. Keep a close eye on ad performance and refine your creative, budget and targeting when necessary. Want to see what type of content performs best? Try A/B testing.

Do you have anything to add about social media advertising? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.